| Christian Life and Doctrine | May 1978 |
Is There a Personal Devil?
“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” —Genesis 3:1-3
“Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lust of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” —John 8:44
“Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.” —James 4:7
TODAY there is an upsurge in occult interest, accompanied by tremendous curiosity concerning satanic influence and exorcism. While many have never taken the Devil seriously, either claiming that he does not exist or that he is bound and powerless, possibly more than at any time in recent history in churches and public gathering places people are showing interest in what is termed Satanology, Satan is being preached from the pulpits, and some ministers are engaged in what they term “deliverance ministry”; that is, the casting out of demons from possessed humans. Many claim that to deny Satan’s existence or power is pleasing to the Devil, for thus resistance to him is lowered.
While the controversy rages around whether or not there is a personal, existing Devil, it may be well to ask, “What does the Bible say about the Devil, fallen angels, and witchcraft?” The Bible has much to say. The Devil is not a myth, nor merely a word to describe the evil that exists in our world. The Devil is a real being, but of a higher nature than the human. The Prophet Isaiah, chapter 14, verses 12-14, says, concerning Satan, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! … For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: … I will be like the most High.” And in these few words we are introduced to Satan and told of his ambition to rule, even to usurp the power of the Creator.
The traditional idea of creedal theology that Satan has horns and a tail and carries a pitchfork is, of course, part of the situation described by Robert Burns, “The fear of hell, a hangman’s whip to hold the wretch in order.” Even so, Satan has always used fear and superstition to accomplish his purpose. The doctrine of “eternal torment in a burning fire” was devised for the purpose of making the loving God of the Bible appear to be a monster unworthy of worship or adoration. This is a well-known example of satanic delusion.
Ephesians 6:11,12 tells us that Satan has companions, often described as “fallen angels,” and here described as “the rulers of the darkness of this world” and “spiritual wickedness in heavenly [margin] places.” It is this group of “the Devil and his angels” who make spiritism more than an idle superstition. It is real. And the only known power to expel spirit possession, according to the Bible, is the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, manifested through the Holy Spirit of God. Certainly, the record of demon banishment in Christ’s ministry while on earth is the most profound in history upon this subject.
However, the influence of Satan is not only the easily recognizable expressions of hate as manifested in the subjects of obsession. His influence is often concealed by false claims of righteousness and truth. He is a hidden enemy who sows error for truth and presents darkness as light.
A good policy and a wise one is to recognize the existence of Satan and all his evil assistants, and then with definite decision have nothing to do with them. The devoted child of God can be victorious in his fight against “the wiles of the Devil,” not in his own strength, but through prayer and by the power of God.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.”—James 4:7